Ezio Auditore da Firenze knew many truths. He had learned them through the bite of steel in the streets of Florence and the cold whispers of the Borgia in Rome. He knew that to win a war, the Creed—the Order—must adapt. To stay strong, one had to understand the enemy to match them with a deeper darkness. This was the lesson he beat into the hearts of his apprentices: In any situation, in any scenario, you must adapt. But never forget the Creed.
He had been standing atop the Castel Sant'Angelo, the wind of Rome whipping his hood, preparing for a leap of faith that would end the reign of a tyrant. But the air hadn't rushed past his ears. Instead, the world had stopped. The city, the guards, and the very sun in the sky had frozen like a painting left to dry.
Then, the Blue came.
It wasn't the blue of the Italian sky. It was a Royal Blue, sterile and absolute, cutting through his vision like a blade.
[♰ THE LEDGER OF THE ********** ♰]
SYSTEM INITIALIZED. AUTHORITY: THE PRIME *********** (ABSOLUTE).
MESSAGE: "Multiversal Groupchat Established. Admin is away, but chat functions are stable for now."
[♰ PLEASE ENTER YOUR NAME ♰]
Ezio stared at the glowing symbols. They were not the strange glyphs of the Precursors, yet they hummed with a similar, ancient power. He reached out, his hand—hidden by the white silk of his sleeve—trembling slightly as he touched the light.
EZIO AUDITORE: "I am Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Mentor of the Brotherhood. Who is it that asks?"
The Ledger flickered.
[♰ IDENTITY VERIFIED: THE MENTOR ♰]
MESSAGE: "Name and identification verified. Please standby as the others join."
Others. That meant there were other people experiencing the same thing. But the question at the forefront of his mind was: What is a "Multiverse"? He asked the question aloud as he stared at the floating Ledger.
The word tasted like ash and stars. As a man who had seen the visions of those who came before, he was no stranger to the impossible, yet this felt... different. This was not a message from the past. It was a tether to the now. The Ledger pulsed again, the royal blue light intensifying.
[♰ NEW CONNECTION DETECTED ♰]
[♰ AUTHORITY LEVEL: ANCIENT ♰]
A new name etched itself onto the screen in sharp, aggressive lettering.
HEK'TAN: "By the Golden Throne! What sorcery is this? Show yourself, Witch! I have just tasted the fury of the Xenos and felt the breath of the God-Emperor himself—I will not be caged by a blue Warp-trick!"
Ezio recoiled slightly. The words didn't just appear; they felt heavy, carrying a weight of iron and fire. But he nodded; this stranger was just as confused as he was, and rightfully so.
EZIO AUDITORE: "Peace, stranger. I do not know what a 'Warp' is, nor do I know your Throne. But if you can see this light, then we are in the same storm. I am Ezio, Mentor to the Brotherhood and Master Assassin. Who are you to speak of Gods and Witches?"
HEK'TAN: "I am Hek'Tan, Lieutenant of the XVIII Legion, Son of Vulkan! I do not 'speak' of Gods, Assassin—I serve the Master of Mankind! If you are a servant of the Archenemy, know that my chainsword still hungers, even in this blue purgatory!"
Ezio frowned, his tactical mind racing. Xenos? Chainsword? XVIII Legion? The language was alien, yet the intent was clear: he was speaking to a soldier. A very angry, very powerful soldier.
EZIO AUDITORE: "Peace, my friend. I swear to you on my father's name, this is not my doing. None of this magic is mine."
HEK'TAN: "While I cannot see you, I oddly feel that your words are sincere. Forgive me for my swift and harsh words then... mortal."
Ezio leaned back, though he had nothing to lean against in this void. "Mortal." A strange choice of words. It implied the giant thought of himself as something else.
EZIO AUDITORE: "Accepted, Lieutenant Hek'Tan. It seems we are guests—or prisoners—of this 'Ledger.' Tell me, what was the last thing you saw before the world turned blue?"
HEK'TAN: "I had just killed a Patriarch. But before that battle, I did see this Ledger appear, though only briefly. I assume you did as well?"
Ezio nodded. Before the Ledger fully appeared, he had seen it flicker for a moment. Was that a warning? A way to let him know this would happen? Was this supposed to be a secret?
EZIO AUDITORE: "I did, but only briefly, like yourself. Who made this, and why did it choose us? Wait... are you in Rome as well?"
HEK'TAN: "Rome? I have heard of the ancient Hive-cities of Holy Terra, though I have never walked their streets. But no, Assassin. I am on Calypsos IIIV, a Shrine World currently drowning in the blood of the Greenskin and the Xenos. Or I was... until the blue light took the air from my lungs."
Ezio stared at the words. Holy Terra. Shrine World. He didn't recognize the names, but he recognized the tone of a man who had seen planets burn.
EZIO AUDITORE: "I do not know this Calypsos. I stand in the heart of Italy, overlooking a city of stone and faith. If we are not in the same place, and the Ledger calls this a 'Multiverse'... then we may not even be in the same world, Hek'Tan."
The Ledger flickered again, as if agitated by their conversation.
[♰ ANALYSIS: CONCEPTUAL GAP DETECTED ♰]
[♰ UPDATING VISUAL INTERFACE... ♰]
Suddenly, a small window appeared next to Hek'Tan's name. It wasn't a clear image, but a grainy, glowing silhouette. It showed a massive, hulking figure clad in thick, jagged plates—a literal mountain of metal.
EZIO AUDITORE: "Dio mio... you are not merely a soldier. You are a titan."
HEK'TAN: "I am a Salamander. I am a shield for the weak. And what of you, 'Mentor'? Your silhouette is that of a ghost... or a shadow."
Before Ezio could respond, a new notification pinged, more vibrant than the others.
[♰ ANALYSIS: VISUAL INTERFACE DISTORTED. ATTEMPTING BUG FIX... ♰]
[♰ 10%... 30%... 60%... 90%... 100% ♰]
[♰ VISUAL INTERFACE RECONSTRUCTION COMPLETED ♰]
As one, both Ezio and Hek'Tan saw each other clearly. Ezio was more than stunned; he was paralyzed with surprise. He looked at the mountain of a man on the screen. He looked like more than a titan—he looked like a being that killed titans.
The royal blue void rippled like water. The grainy silhouettes bled away, replaced by high-definition clarity that seemed to defy the very air of Rome. Ezio gasped. On the screen was a creature of war. The man—if he could still be called that—was encased in emerald-green ceramite, scarred and pitted from battle. One shoulder was a jagged wreck of shattered metal, exposing the dark, ribbed layers beneath. But it was the face that truly haunted him: skin as black as coal, eyes that glowed like embers in a forge, and a sheer size that made the heavy statues of the Vatican look like toys. This was no titan; this was a god of fire.
HEK'TAN: "You..."
The giant's voice lost its aggression, replaced by a low, vibrating awe. Through the screen, Hek'tan stared at the man in the white hood. Ezio looked small, fragile even, but the scars on his face and the calm, predatory stillness in his eyes spoke of a life spent in the dark. To Hek'tan, this man looked like the ancient icons of the 'Old Earth' assassins—warriors of legend.
HEK'TAN: "You are so... small. And yet, I feel the weight of your soul across the void, Assassin. Your garb... it is like the silk of the ancient Terran courts. How can a man of the past stand in the same light as a son of Nocturne?"
Ezio found his voice, though it was barely a whisper.
EZIO AUDITORE: "I was about to ask you the same, giant. You look as though you were forged in the fires of Vesuvius itself. If this is what a 'Salamander' is, then my world is much quieter than yours. You say you are a shield for the weak... but you look like you were built to break whole fortresses apart."
Hek'tan let out a sound—a heavy, metallic rasp that might have been a laugh.
HEK'TAN: "Both are true, Ezio. To shield the weak, one must be strong enough to break the monster at the door. But look—the screen, it changes again."
The Ledger didn't just pulse; it screamed with a sudden, electronic feedback.
[♰ NEW CONNECTION: STABILIZED ♰]
[♰ USER: STARK, ANTHONY ♰]
TONY STARK: "Okay, first of all—wow. Green Giant, I've seen some heavy-duty tech, but that suit? It looks like a gothic cathedral decided to become an Abrams tank. And Assassin-Guy? Love the hood. Very 'retro-chic.' Now, will someone tell me why I'm looking at a live feed of a museum exhibit and a nightmare from a heavy metal album?"
Ezio and Hek'tan both turned their attention to a third window. It showed a man in a high-tech lab, surrounded by floating screens and glowing blue circles. He looked clean, wealthy, and incredibly annoyed.
HEK'TAN: "And who might you be, mortal? Do you know of him, Ezio?"
Ezio shook his head. More were coming. It seemed the "others" weren't just Hek'Tan, but multiple people from across existence.
EZIO AUDITORE: "And who might you be, stranger? Did you cause this? If so, why?"
Tony shook his head.
TONY STARK: "If I did, it would've been hot-rod colors and better—way better. So no, not me. And I'm guessing not either of you two, also."
At their nods, Tony sighed. If it wasn't them, then who? His mind was already spinning through hundreds of scenarios: a science experiment gone wrong, Fury putting something in his drink, or something far worse.
The Ledger's purple warning tint flared. The interface didn't just open a new window; it slammed it into the center of their vision.
[♰ NEW CONNECTION: STABILIZED ♰] > [♰ USER: HIT-GIRL / MINDY MACREADY ♰]
A fourth window snapped into existence. It showed a young girl, barely into her teens, wearing a purple mask and a tactical belt loaded with more steel than a Roman armory. Behind her, the blurred remains of what looked like a gang hideout was littered with smoke and shell casings.
MINDY MACREADY: "WHAT THE HELL?! I was mid-magazine change! If this is a Motherf—er trap, I am going to gut every single one of you with a katar! Who is the big guy in the green suit? Is that a new boss battle? I swear to god, if I'm in a coma, I'm gonna be pissed."
Hek'Tan leaned into his screen, his embers-for-eyes narrowing as he processed the sight of a child covered in blood and weaponry.
HEK'TAN: "A child? They bring a fledgling into this purgatory? Is there no sanctity left in the galaxy? Little one, put down your blades. You are too young for such a burden."
MINDY MACREADY: "Don't 'little one' me, Shrek! I've got more confirmed kills than you have brain cells. And you—Renaissance Fair—nice hood. Very 'creepy priest' vibe."
TONY STARK: "And here comes the neighborhood. Great. A medieval ninja, a Space Marine, and a pre-teen with a foul mouth and a weapons permit. If the next person is a cartoon character, I'm out."
The Ledger didn't listen to Tony. It pulsed with a soft, golden light this time, contrasting against the Royal Blue.
[♰ NEW CONNECTION: STABILIZED ♰] > [♰ USER: MUTO, YUGI ♰]
A fifth window appeared. A boy with gravity-defying hair and wide, innocent eyes stared back at them. He wore a heavy gold pyramid around his neck that hummed with a power Ezio recognized instantly—the same resonance as the Precursor artifacts.
YUGI MUTO: "Uh... hello? Is this part of the Shadow Game? Joey? Téa? This doesn't look like Domino City. It feels... cold."
EZIO AUDITORE: "Peace, young one. You are safe for now. We are all as lost as you are."
HEK'TAN: "Another child. This 'Ledger' mocks us. It gathers warriors, geniuses, and infants alike."
The chat was beginning to spiral into a cacophony of questions and insults until a final, thunderous chime rang through the void. The Royal Blue didn't just ripple; it bowed.
[♰ NEW CONNECTION: THEMYSCIRA ♰] > [♰ USER: DIANA PRINCE / WONDER WOMAN ♰]
The final window was the most striking of all. A woman with the grace of a statue and the eyes of a veteran stood before them. She wore armor that looked as ancient as Ezio's world but as indestructible as Hek'Tan's. She didn't look at the screens with fear; she looked at them with a calm, analytical sorrow.
DIANA PRINCE: "Stay your tongues and your tempers. This is no game of shadows, nor is it a trick of man's science. I can feel the tethering of our spirits. We have been plucked from the threads of our own fates by a force that sees no borders between worlds."
Ezio stood tall, feeling the shift in the room. The arrival of the woman had silenced even Mindy's swearing and Tony's snark.
EZIO AUDITORE: "You speak with the weight of one who has seen the gods, Lady."
DIANA PRINCE: "I am Diana of Themyscira. I have seen the beginning and the end of many things. But even I do not know the name of the 'Admin' who has gathered us here."
TONY STARK: "Okay, great. The Justice League just checked in. Now that we're all here, does anyone know why we're in a blue group chat instead of, you know, our actual lives?"
The Ledger answered for them. The text began to scroll at a blistering speed, glowing with a divine, terrifying authority.
[♰ ALL USERS TETHERED ♰] > [♰ MESSAGE FROM ADMIN: NEOPATH ♰] > "Welcome Great warriors and thinkers and fighters of the Multiverse you have been awarded a special privilege by the ********** to be in this group chat for the *************."
[♰ ERROR USERS COHESION LEVEL TO LOW ♰]
TONY STARK: "Cohesion? Like teamwork? Of course it's low; we just met. I haven't even had time to run a background check on the guy with the glowing coal eyes yet."
[♰ ERROR: COHESION LEVELS CRITICAL ♰] [♰ ERROR: COLLECTIVE POWER LEVEL INSUFFICIENT ♰]
ADMIN NEOPATH: "I see. You are collectively too weak to undertake the tasks required of you. You are fragments of dying worlds, and fragments are easily crushed."
YUGI MUTO: "Wait! Stronger for what? What tasks? What is going on?"
ADMIN NEOPATH: "Peace, young King of Games. Your strength—all of yours—is currently insufficient for the coming Tide. But thanks to the [♰ REDACTED ♰] and this Ledger, you shall transcend your limits."
MINDY MACREADY: "How? I don't see a manual for this thing, and I don't take orders from blue text boxes. Who are you, and why are you spying on us?"
DIANA PRINCE: "The voice speaks of growth, Mindy. In my world, such a gift always comes with a price. Admin... what is the cost of this 'strength'?"
ADMIN NEOPATH: "None. The cost is not blood or souls or anything macabre. It is something more than even Tony Stark can give."
TONY STARK: "Doubt it. But I'll shoot. What is it? The power of friendship or something?"
ADMIN NEOPATH: "No. It is trust. Trust in yourselves, trust in each other, and—most importantly—trust in [♰ REDACTED ♰] to provide the missions you require."
HEK'TAN: "Trust is earned in the fires of battle, Spirit. It is not given to strangers across a blue void. If you want our trust, show us that you are not a puppet-master of the Archenemy."
ADMIN NEOPATH: "very well how then what must I do"
MINDY MACREADY: "how's about letting us go dick-bot
ADMIN NEOPATH: "but you are free I am not holding you here and neither is ********* you are free to leave this is a group chat
TONY STARK: "okay you want trust who is that"
ADMIN NEOPATH: "who is who"
[♰ NEW CONNECTION: EARTHREALM ♰] [♰ USER: LIU KANG ♰]
A seventh window materialized. It showed a man with long, dark hair and a red headband, standing in what looked like a serene temple garden—except the sky behind him was torn by flickering sorcery. He held a fighting stance, his hands glowing with a faint, disciplined heat.
LIU KANG: "The Elder Gods... did they send me here? Raiden? Is this another trick of Shang Tsung?"
EZIO AUDITORE: "Another warrior. You carry yourself with the grace of the Monks I have met in my travels, though your fire feels... different."
LIU KANG: "I am Liu Kang, Champion of Mortal Kombat. I was defending my realm when this blue light claimed my vision. Who are you people? You do not look like Outworlders."
DIANA PRINCE: "We are allies of necessity, Liu Kang. I am Diana. We were just discussing 'trust' with our host."
HEK'TAN: "Another combatant. Good. At least the 'King of Games' has some protection now."
TONY STARK: "Okay, that's it. We've got the Bruce Lee of Magic, a Greek Goddess, and a literal Space Tank. The roster is full. Now, Neopath—back to my question. Who is the ghost? Who is the 'lurker' on the edge of the chat?"
ADMIN NEOPATH: "Who is who?"
TONY STARK: "Don't play dumb. I'm tracking the data pings. There's a ghost signature in the machine. Someone is watching us from the 'Lobby' but hasn't said a word. Show us the silent partner or I start pulling virtual plugs."
ADMIN NEOPATH: "Very well. If you must know, he is the one who didn't come from a dying world like yours. He came from an unknown one. He is the *************."
MINDY MACREADY: "Great, another mystery-meat guest. Put him on screen so I can see if he's worth my time."
ADMIN NEOPATH: "Unfortunately, I cannot."
TONY STARK: "That's it. Pulling plugs now."
ADMIN NEOPATH: "I would not do that if I were you."
But it was too late. Tony signaled JARVIS to flood the Ledger's mainframe, attempting to bypass the encryption with a brute-force logic virus. For a split second, the royal blue screen flickered white. Then, something happened that had never happened to Tony Stark before. JARVIS screamed—a digital, distorted sound of agony—and both Tony and his AI were kicked out of the interface like they were nothing more than bugs on a piece of wood.
The Ledger didn't just flicker; it bled. The blue turned into a jagged, static-filled red.
[♰ NEW CONNECTION: ***************** ♰]
[♰ USER: ****************** ♰]
**ERROR: ADMIN CONTROLS OVERRIDDEN BY ***************
The void grew cold. Even Hek'Tan, a warrior who had stood before the Warp, felt his twin hearts skip a beat.
***********: "You won't succeed. I would tell you not to try, but you are going to anyway. You do it constantly. So... think of this as a challenge."
The text was different now. It wasn't the sterile machine-code of Neopath. It was heavy, each letter looking like it had been carved into the screen with a jagged blade.
HEK'TAN: "Identify yourself! If you have hijacked this sorcery, show your face! I have no patience for shadows that hide behind riddles!"
***********: "Patience is a luxury of the living, Little Salamander. I am not hiding. I am waiting."
HEK'TAN: "For what? I have survived ten thousand battles! I have purged uncountable Xenos and crushed heretics with a strength even you cannot muster!"
************: "I am waiting for you to prove yourself a true Son of Vulkan."
The air in the void seemed to thicken, smelling of cold ash and old blood. Hek'Tan's coal-black face contorted in a snarl, his glowing eyes flaring like dying stars.
HEK'TAN: "How dare you! My Father's gene-seed rests within my breast! My soul is forged in his image! Who are you to—?"
*************: "Did you not threaten Ezio? Did you not sneer at the man Stark? Vulkan would not have done such a thing. Vulkan would have listened first... and passed judgment only when the fire was necessary. You are a warrior, Hek'Tan. But you have forgotten how to be a protector."
No blade, no bolter, no weapon in a thousand years of war had pierced Hek'Tan like those words. It was a sting that bypassed his ceramite armor and his toughened skin, striking directly into the core of his being. He felt as if his twin hearts had stalled in that instant. To be told he was failing his Father—the most humanitarian of all the Primarchs—was a spiritual agony.
LIU KANG: "The stranger speaks with a heavy truth, Hek'Tan. Strength without discipline is merely a storm. But who is this that knows the hearts of our fathers?"
EZIO AUDITORE: "Whoever you are, you have silenced a giant. That is no small feat. But why are you here? If Neopath was our guide, what are you?"
*************: "I am the consequence. And as for the billionaire..."
Suddenly, a window flickered back to life. It was Tony Stark, but he looked disheveled, his breathing heavy, as if he had just crawled out of a wreckage.
TONY STARK: "Ego took a hit, but other than that, me and JARVIS are fine."
*************: "Good. I would hate for permanent damage to happen to you."
TONY STARK: "Secretly threatening tone aside... who are you?"
*************: "I am no threat. I am a Benefactor."
YUGI MUTO: "A Benefactor of what?"
*************: "That is an answer that will come in due time. For now, you all must gain more strength, more fortitude. The fate of the [♰ REDACTED ♰] depends on it. Hmm... it seems you all are even weaker than I thought. No matter. My system will give you all the strength you need... that is, if you all think you can get stronger."
DIANA PRINCE: "A warrior must always strive for strength. I know not what you are, but I will discover it. And if you have ulterior motives, I will find those out as well."
LIU KANG: "I will never back down from a challenge. Getting stronger is child's play. Prepare to meet a Master of Mortal Kombat!"
HEK'TAN: "I have dishonored my Father. This challenge—even if it be of the Warp—I will meet. I will restore my Father's honor!"
EZIO AUDITORE: "I have faced the cruelties of man; this is nothing."
YUGI MUTO: "I'm scared... but as long as I have my friends in my heart, I can face anything!"
MINDY MACREADY: "My father prepared me for everything. This is nothing."
TONY STARK: "Well, damn it. I don't like teams, but getting stronger and smarter is the wisest choice."
*************: "Very well. Missions will appear in time for you to complete. Get stronger... make a difference."
Then, the Ledger vanished.
The blinding blue light retracted like a closing eye. Everyone found themselves back in their own bodies, exactly where they had been before the world froze. There was no interdimensional travel, no crossing of worlds—not yet. Ezio stood atop the cold stone of Castel Sant'Angelo; Hek'Tan remained amidst the ash of the Shrine World; Tony sat in the silence of his lab.
They were alone, and yet, they were not. The air felt different. Their minds hummed with a resonance that shouldn't exist.
[♰ NEW CONNECTION: CHAT ESTABLISHED BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS ♰]
[♰ USERS: HEK'TAN KONN, TONY STARK, DIANA PRINCE, YUGI MUTO, MINDY MACREADY, EZIO AUDITORE, LIU KANG ♰]
[♰ LINKS ESTABLISHED. STATUS: ONLINE ♰]